Coronavirus: Toronto Public Health declares COVID-19 outbreak at elementary school

Toronto Public Health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at a North York elementary school after officials say two students tested positive for coronavirus.

Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s medical officer of health, announced the outbreak was declared on Friday at Glen Park Public School on Englemount Avenue, near Allen Road and Lawrence Avenue West.

“One of the realities of living in a world with COVID-19 is that there will be cases in schools. Today’s news is expected,” she said during a news conference at Toronto city hall Friday afternoon.

“I expect there will be similar announcements in future.”

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de Villa said since two students tested positive, that meets the Ontario government’s threshold of an outbreak. Under provincial guidelines, she said there needs to be two or more cases within 14 days with at least one case that could have been acquired at the school. de Villa said the formal outbreak declaration also puts into place extra resources.

She said both students are now in isolation. As a result of the confirmed COVID-19 cases, de Villa said two cohorts of classes and a teacher are required to stay at home in self-isolation.

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While this is the first formally declared outbreak, there have been other COVID-19 cases at other Toronto schools.

Municipal officials announced there were 236 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Toronto on Friday.

“An increase day over day of this scale is a warning to the entire city,” de Villa said.

— With files from Ryan Rocca